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Wakefield Township vs Munson Township

Next-door neighbors in Stearns County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (6.1× in Wakefield Township) and trails (4.4× in Wakefield Township).

W ×
Wakefield Township, MNOne of the healthiest townsStearns County · 2,800 people
M ×
Munson Township, MNOne of the healthiest townsStearns County · 1,403 people
Swap order
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

Wakefield TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 76%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Wakefield Township →
Munson TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 64%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Munson Township →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Jobs per worker6.1×
Wakefield Township is more of a job hub
Wakefield Township 0.79Munson Township 0.13
Trails4.4×
Wakefield Township has more miles of trail
Wakefield Township 4.8 miMunson Township 1.1 mi
Seasonal homes+23.9 pts
Munson Township has more second homes
Munson Township 35.4%Wakefield Township 11.5%
Street grid+75%
Wakefield Township has the more walkable street grid
Wakefield Township 4.2Munson Township 2.4
★ What stands out · Where they are

Wakefield Township and Munson Township share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

Wakefield TownshipMunson TownshipWakefield TownshipMunson Township
Wakefield Township ↔ Munson Township5.9 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Who commutes between them
29 Munson Township residents work in Wakefield Township (4.3% of its workers)
Work & commute in Munson Township →
Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Minnesota ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Health
A−Wakefield TownshipHealthier than 76% of U.S. towns BMunson TownshipHealthier than 64% of U.S. towns
Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Wakefield Township$2,380/mo
Typical home $395K (Census) · tax rate 0.95% · or rent about $1,281/mo · Housing →
Munson Township$2,370/mo
Typical home $399K (Census) · tax rate 0.83% · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
Wakefield TownshipMunson Township
Snow a year57″57″
January low4°F4°F
July high81°F81°F
Growing season (days)155d155d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)63rd59th
Outdoors & history
Wakefield TownshipMunson Township
Trails5 mi1 mi
Conserved land2%0.3%
Community
Wakefield TownshipMunson Township
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Wakefield TownshipMunson Township
People
Population 2,800Highest 1,403Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -0.4%Highest MN: +7.6% -1.1%Lowest MN: +7.6%
Median age 47±8.9Highest 21% above MN 42.9±9.8Lowest 11% above MN
Wakefield Township and Munson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24.6%±5.9Lowest MN: 22.9% 25.5%±6.1Highest MN: 22.9%
Munson Township and Wakefield Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19.3%±3.8Lowest MN: 17.3% 20.5%±5Highest MN: 17.3%
Munson Township and Wakefield Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 31.9%Highest MN: 39.4% 25.1%Lowest MN: 39.4%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.9%±2.1Lowest MN: 5.8% 5.6%±4.1Highest MN: 5.8%
Munson Township and Wakefield Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $108,333±$15kLowest 22% above MN $121,000±$16kHighest 36% above MN
Munson Township and Wakefield Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $394,700±$36kLowest 20% above MN $398,800±$29kHighest 21% above MN
Munson Township and Wakefield Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,281±$1k about the MN average —
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,758Highest 12% above MN $3,321Lowest about the MN average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 57.1%±97.4Highest MN: 48.1% 0%±40.8Lowest MN: 48.1%
Wakefield Township and Munson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 4%Highest MN: 9.3% 2.5%Lowest MN: 9.3%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 97.1%Highest MN: 72.2% 90.7%Lowest MN: 72.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1979Lowest same as MN 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than MN
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 29 minHighest 28% above MN 28 minLowest 25% above MN
Work from home 15.4%±5.8Lowest MN: 17.6% 17.8%±5.6Highest MN: 17.6%
Munson Township and Wakefield Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 6.2%Highest 0.9%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.3 miLowest 17.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.79Highest 0.13Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town St. Cloud (23%)St. Cloud (18%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Munson Township4% work in Wakefield Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2%Highest 0.3%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 4.8 miHighest 1.1 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 4.2Highest 2.4Lowest
Minnesota average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Wakefield Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wakefield Township’s Town Square.

Munson Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Munson Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Wakefield Township and Munson Township

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Bordering Wakefield Township

+ Compare
Richmond1,431 people · $241K homes
C
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Collegeville Township3,351 people · $469K homes
L
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Luxemburg Township751 people · $352K homes
R
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Rockville2,452 people · $366K homes

Towns like Wakefield Township

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Palmer Township2,581 people · $383K homes
H
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Haven Township2,164 people · $347K homes
F
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Fish Lake Township2,470 people · $400K homes
S
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Sylvan Township2,982 people · $298K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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